Hydraulic turbine nozzle

ABSTRACT

A nozzle for an impulse hydraulic turbine including a needle valve slidably supported within the nozzle body for movement into and out of closing engagement with a nozzle orifice. A hydraulic piston in the form of an annular ring is slidably contained in a fluid tight chamber about the needle valve. The annular piston is connected to the needle valve to impart the desired sliding movement thereto.

United States Patent [191 Chacour [11] 3,824,033 [45 July 16, 1974 HYDRAULIC TURBINE NOZZLE [75] Inventor: Selim A. Chacour, York, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Allis-Chalmers Corporation,

Milwaukee, Wis.

[22] Filed: Mar. 26, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 344,989

[52] US. Cl .1 415/151, 137/219 [51] Int. Cl. F01d 17/00 [58] Field of Search 415/151; 137/219; 256/635, 63.6

[56] References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,096,169 12/1954 France 415/151 ll/l962 France 137/219 4/1960 Germany 137/219 Primary Examiner-Henry F. Raduazo Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John P. Hines 5 7 ABSTRACT A nozzle for an impulse hydraulic turbine including a needle valve slidably supported Within the nozzle body for movement into and out of closing engagement with a nozzle orifice. A hydraulic piston in the form of an annular ring is slidably contained in a fluid tight chamber about the needle valve. The annular piston is connected to the needle valve to impart the desired sliding movement thereto.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures HYDRAULIC TURBINE NOZZLE This invention pertains in general to hydraulic turbines of the impulse type and more particularly to a nozzle for such a turbine.

A typical type of nozzle for an impulse hydraulic turbine includes a nozzle body which is at the end of the water confining conduit having a needle valve slidably contained in the nozzle. An extension of the needle valve passes through the wall of the water conduit and is connected to a hydraulic servometer to position the needle valve. An example of this type of hydraulic turbine impulse nozzle is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,491,059 issued to J. J. Ring, Dec. 13, 1949. With this arrangement considerable structure is required to the rear of the nozzle. Furthermore, the needle valve must extend to theexterior of the water conduit thereby usually requiring a rather sharp bend in the water conduit adjacent to the nozzle outlet.

A different type of nozzle which overcomes the necessity of a sharp bend in the water conduit is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,706,355 issued to E. Gross on Mar. 19, 1929. With this nozzle considerable structure and mechanical operating means are required at the sides of the nozzle.

It is the general object and intention of this invention to provide a nozzle for an impulse hydraulic turbine which is an improvement over the above identified prior art nozzles.

An additional object of the subject invention is to provide a nozzle for an impulse hydraulic turbine wherein a needle valve operating servomotor is located in the nozzle casing and the needle valve is slidably supported on a support contained within the water conduit.

A more specific object of the subject invention is to provide a nozzle of the hereinbefore described type wherein the needle valve is hollow and spring biasing means adjustably supported by the support means resiliently biases the needle valve to the open position.

These and other objects of the subject invention will become more fully apparent as the following description is read in light of the attached drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of a needle valve constructed in accordance with the invention with the upper half thereof shown in the closed position and the lower half thereof shown in the open position; and

FIG. 2 shows the nozzle operatively located adjacent a hydraulic turbine impulse wheel.

Referring to the drawing, the nozzle casing generally designated 6 defines a smooth contoured water conduit 7. The nozzle casing is provided with an end orifice 8 through which the pressurized water is directed to the turbine buckets l0.

Totally contained within the water conduit 7 is a guide and support member 9. This streamlined support member is rigidly connected to the interior of the nozzle casing by means of ribs 11. The end of the support member 9 closest to the end orifice 8 is provided with an annular bearing sleeve 12.

A hollow needle valve generally designated 13 is slidably supported on the bearing sleeve 12. The needle valve 13 includes a nose member 14 which mates with the end orifice 8 to interrupt and permit the flow of water through the nozzle.

A spring support means herein shown as an elongated bolt 16 is threadedly received into an internally threaded bore 17 contained in the end of the support member 9. A spring container 18 is supported about the elongated bolt 16. A coil spring 19 is provided about the spring container. The biasing effect of the spring 19 on the nozzle can be adjusted by turning the elongated bolt into or out of the support member 9. This arrangement permits the spring member to bias the needle valve out of engagement with the end orifice.

Walls of the nozzle casing define an annular compartment 21 about the needle valve 13. A piston 22 slidably contained within the compartment 21 divides the compartment into two fluid tight chambers 23 and 24. Fluid passage means 26 and 27 are connected in fluid communication respectively with the chambers 23 and 24.

An elongated narrow opening 28 is provided through the inner wall of the nozzle casing 6 into the conduit 7. A connecting means '29 extends through these openings and connects the needle valve to the piston 22. The

opening 28 is only as large as is necessary to permit full opening and closing movement of the needle valve by the connecting means 29.

An additional opening 31 may be provided through the outer wall of the nozzle casing. A position indicator 32 may be attached to the piston and extend through duit from the exterior of the nozzle. With this arrangement a self-contained compact nozzle structure is provided.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privelege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a hydraulic turbine having an impulse wheel with a plurality of buckets about the periphery thereof, a water controlling nozzle positioned adjacent said wheel to cause the water to impinge thereon comprising: a casing defining a water confining conduit having an end orifice; stationary guide means attached to said casing located entirely within said conduit; a needle valve having one end slidably supported and guided by said guide means located within said conduit for axial sliding movement of its other forward end into and out of closing engagement with said end orifice; walls defining a compartment within said casing; walls defining at least one elongated narrow opening connecting said compartment to said conduit; a piston slidably contained within said compartment dviding same into separate fluid tight chambers, the relative lengths of said piston and said opening being such that said piston completely seals said compartment from said opening during the full travel of said piston; pressure fluid delivery means connected to said chambers for selectively providing pressure fluid thereto for causing controlled reciprocable movement of said piston; and at least a pair of equally spaced arms supportingly connecting said needle valve to said piston for reciprocal movement therewith at least a substantial portion of the connection between said support arms and said needle 3 ,8 24 ,03 3 3 i 4 valve being spaced forward of said guide means in all means therein engaging said needle valve and said supadjusted positions of said needle valve. port, said spring means biasing said needle valve out of 2. The hydraulic turbine nozzle set forth in claim 1 engagement with said orifice. wherein said needle valve is hollow and includes spring 

1. In a hydraulic turbine having an impulse wheel with a plurality of buckets about the periphery thereof, a water controlling nozzle positioned adjacent said wheel to cause the water to impinge thereon comprising: a casing defining a water confining conduit having an end orifice; stationary guide means attached to said casing located entirely within said conduit; a needle valve having one end slidably supported and guided by said guide means located within said conduit for axial sliding movement of its other forward end into and out of closing engagement with said end orifice; walls defining a compartment within said casing; walls defining at least one elongated narrow opening connecting said compartment to said conduit; a piston slidably contained within said compartment dviding same into separate fluid tight chambers, the relative lengths of said piston and said opening being such that said piston completely seals said compartment from said opening during the full travel of said piston; pressure fluid delivery means connected to said chambers for selectively providing pressure fluid thereto for causing controlled reciprocable movement of said piston; and at least a pair of equally spaced arms supportingly connecting said needle valve to said piston for reciprocal movement therewith at least a substantial portion of the connection between said support arms and said needle valve being spaced forward of said guide means in all adjusted positions of said needle valve.
 2. The hydraulic turbine nozzle set forth in claim 1 wherein said needle valve is hollow and includes spring means therein engaging said needle valve and said support, said spring means biasing said needle valve out of engagement with said orifice. 